Anka Lesniak, artist and researcher, Ph.D holder, member of the Art and Documentation Association and the Frakcja Group of women artists, coorganizer of feminist panel discussions “Seminarium Feministyczne”, assistant professor at the Faculty of Sculpture and Intermedia of the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk (Poland). The author of the book Invisible inVisible. Women disconnected from history. Site specific artworks on abandoned buildings, (Lodz: Art & Documentation Association, 2017)

She participated in more than 100 individual and group shows and events. She was also awarded with a Scholarship of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland (2011) and next years she received grants from the Mayor of the city of Lodz (2015), from the city of Gdansk (2016). Artist in residence of KulturKontakt in Vienna (2016). In 2019 she was awarded the OeAD Scholarship for her project A reconstruction and recontextualisation of cultural discourse by the means of transmedia art. The Witch by Teresa Feodorowna Ries – a case study.

As an artist she is active in genres such as: installation, video-installation, video-art, performance art, performative painting. In her art, she mainly focuses on the history of women and makes site-specific artworks. Most of her works is closely connected to the particular space or architecture, specifically with the use of abandoned houses or other features that have ceased to fulfil their former functions but for which a new use has not yet been found. She is interested in feminism, topics related to gender, body, ethnic identity, herstory, language and memory. She is an author of the cycles Body Printing (since 2007), Top Models (2009), Fading Traces (2010), Invisible inVisible (2015-2016) Women patRIOTs (since 2016), Lost Element/Re-construction of the Witch (since 2019).

Education:

2016 – Ph.d in Arts, The Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk (Poland)
2004 – M.F.A. The Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz (Poland)
2003 – M.A University of Lodz (Art History)


Selected projects/exhibitions:

Titles of exhibitions, projects and institutions has been translated into English. To see Polish titles, please look at the Polish version ot the webite:

Individual:

2024

Strike rumbles down the street
site-specific installation dedicated to Zula Pacanowska (1904-1942)
ul. Zgierska 56, Łódź

2022

Venus Gravity Jama Gallery,Ostrava, Czechia

2021

Witches, Orientalism & Unconsciousness as Protagonists of Viennese Modernity, by Anka Lesniak & Anna Hoffner, curator: Anamarija Batista

For the Nameless /Women/ Warriors performance within the artist residency of the Frakcja group at the Centre for Creative Activities in Ustka, public space in Ustka

2020

Women patRIOTs, BWA Jelenia Gora

2019

When an alien meets a witch, performance, Move on Dance Center, Vienna, Austria

2018

Women patRIOTs, ELEKTROWNIA Elektrownia Masovian Centre for Contemporary Art in Radom

Women patRIOTs, ODA, Piotrkow Trybunalski

Women patRIOTs, Remedium Gallery, Municipal Art Gallery in Lodz

Marsz Głodowy Kobiet / Women Food Riots, installation, performance, pre-event of the Anniversary of Women's Hunger March in Lodz in 1981, entitled Women's Anger and organized by Łodzki Szlak Kobiet, Freedom Square, Lodz

2017

INNE from the series Invisible inVisible / Niewidzialne Widzialnego, Wozownia Gallery, Torun

Invisible inVisible. Women disconnedted from history. Site-specific artworks on abandoned buildings, performance and discussion on the project: Art Agenda Nova, Krakow / The Marek Edelman Dialogue Center in Lodz / Wozownia Gallery, Torun

For Zofia / Flower for Zofia, site-specific artwork in public space, The Main Railway Station in Leszno

2016

Invisible inVisible, Gdansk City Gallery, Gdansk

I reserve complete possesion of my life,
site-specific artwork in public space, inspired by the biography of Stanisława Przybyszewska, Plac Wałowy 13, Gdańsk

Women patRIOTs, XX1 Gallery, Warsaw

2015

Invisible inVisible, Wschodnia Gallery, Lodz

Fifi Zastrow. Acta est fabula, site-specific artwork in public space,
34 Jaracza street, Lodz

Michalina that a Girl, site-specific artwork in public space, 27A Zachodnia street
Lodz

Eugenia is getting married site-specific artwork in public space,
2 Drukarska street, Lodz

2014

The Dance of a Stork, Relokacje project, Bydgoszcz

Incarnations, BWA Olsztyn

Herstory, artist's talk, Gdansk City Gallery

2013

Fading Traces, Labirynt Gallery, Lublin

Top Models, Galeria No Women No Art, WSNHiD, Poznan

Fading Traces, artist's talk, The Gdansk Gallery of Photography, The National Museum in Gdansk


2012

Registered, Galeria Entropia, Wroclaw

Registered, presentation of the project, BWA Sokol, Nowy Sacz

Registered, Film Museum, Lodz


2011

Registered, ON Gallery, Poznan

Fading Traces, Polish Artists in the art of the 70s, ON Gallery, Poznan

Fading Traces, Polish Artists in the art of the 70s, Lokal_30, Warsaw


2010

Fading Traces, Polish Artists in the art of the 70s, /Fokus Lodz Biennale 2010/ Manhattan Gallery, Lodz

Body of Art, Recent Art. Gallery (Galeria Sztuki Najnowszej), Gorzów Wielkopolski

Muses, Atlas Sztuki, Lodz

Body Printing Epicentrum, Epicentrum Gallery, Jastrzebie Zdroj

2009

The thrill is in the chase not the quarry, Patio Art Center, Lodz

TOP Models - Studio Gallery, the Palace of Culture, Warsaw / BLOK Gallery, Academy of Fine Arts, Lodz

2008

Body Printing installation, from the series "Contemporary art presentations", Academic Center for Creative Initiatives, Lodz

Beauties and the beasts - multimedia project, Ateneum Gallery, Warsaw

Body Printing as a part of a series ARTEE an essence of youth art in Poland, BWA Gallery Kielce

2007

Printemps or Spring in the Gardener's House, action and video-art from the "Body Printing" series, Patio Art Center, Lodz

Primavera or Spring in Grohman's Office, an action from the "Body Printing" series, Book Art Museum, Lodz

Body Printing Studio, STUDIO BWA, Wroclaw

Body Printing w OFFie, OFF Gallery, (now ODA), Piotrków Trybunalski

2005

ACTivists, In Blanco Gallery, BOK, Lodz

ACTualities, Academic Center for Creative Initiatives, Lodz


Group shows:

2026

Hybrids and Borders.Performance Arts in Cultural Centers, MSK Górna and MSK Chojny, Łódź

2025

Rituals and Ceremonies, 14th Tychy Performance Festival

Těla umělkyň / Bodies of Women Artists - Lenka Klodova and Anka Leśniak
performance event accompanying the exhibition Tělo na tělo /Body to Body
Dum Umeni Opava, Czech Republic

Hab+Gut, exhibition by the Endmoräne group and invited artists from the Frakcja group
Trebnitz Palace, Germany

Eintopf, Intercultural Festival - Frakcja Group and Endmoräne Group, Fuzja / Former Scheibler Power Plant, Łódź

Pleasures, Frakcja Group and invited artists
Wschodnia Gallery, Łódź

Wyspa 4.0 Place of Ideas / Idea of Place / Adaptive Practices on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Wyspa Gallery / Wyspa Progress Foundation
Gdańsk Shipyard

Community Stories (1945-2025), Event accompanying the Photo Festival Wozownia Gallery, University of Łódź

All Our Revolutions, Academic Design Center FERMENT Women's Art Festival, Łódź

Unboxing Art as part of Filip Ignatowicz's artistic project, Zbrojownia Sztuki, Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk

Fragments of Reality. Berlin - Tricity / Scherben der Realität. Berlin-Dreistadt
Communale Galerie, Berlin, Germany

Fragments of Reality. Berlin - Tricity / Scherben der Realität. Berlin-Dreistadt
State Art Gallery in Sopot (PGS)

We Want the Whole Life. Shared Studio Teatr Galeria, Warsaw

2024

We Want the Whole Life. Feminisms in Polish Art
State Art Gallery in Sopot (PGS)

Song of Excess, Gdańsk City Gallery / Günter Grass Gallery, Gdańsk

Now Non Human, Stre!fen Performance Art Festival, Görlitz / Zgorzelec

Roots performance program
18th Puls Literatury Festival, House of Literature, Łódź

Wreaths and Stones
The Center of Worlds Festival is here
Przemyśl

2023

Celebrations, The Center of Worlds Festival is here
Przemyśl

Un Paradiso Amaro. Viaggio a Ravenna
TFR Archive exhibition
Polo delle Arti di Ravenna, Italy

Un Paradiso Amaro. Viaggio a Roma
TFR Archive exhibition
Forum Austriaco di Cultura Roma, Rome, Italy

New New Media, 12th Tychy Performance Festival


2022

Lost Element Re-construction of the Witch
VBKÖ – Vereinigung bildender Künstlerinnen Österreichs, Vienna, Austria

Whiffling, wystawa zbiorowa. Galeria Dolu Michal, Ostrava, Czech Republic

Confrontations with Helena D.
Work presented at a group exhibition
accompanying the conference devoted to Helene Deutsch, Society of Friends of Science, Przemyśl

Nudity as Political Gesture, Festival of Naked Forms
International performance art festival, Prague, Czech Republic

Malamut Festival, international performance art festival, Ostrava, Czech Republic

(Non)human Community, Exhibition of the Frakcja group of artists
Exhibition accompanying the Fotofestiwal in Łódź.

Universal Garden. Herbarium
"Art and Documentation" magazine no. 26, spring-summer 2022

Nothing good will come out of this, PYRAMIDA Center for Contemporary Art, Haifa, Israel

Anastomosis Great Armoury, Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk

2021

Un Paradiso Amaro / Bitter Paradise exhibition by the international collective TFR Archive
Exhibit Studio, Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Austria

Witches, Orientalism, and Unconsciousness as Protagonists of Viennese Modernity
Austrian Cultural Forum, Warsaw

Warm Revitalization, Gangwon Triennale, South Korea

Infinite. Live Hive
PAN Asia - Performance Art Network Asia
international performance art festival, Space Sopa, Mokpo, South Korea

Tuchfuhlung - stay in touch, German-Polish exhibition
and an art project in public space initiated by Susanne Pittroff
Munich, Germany

In Process, the Past, Present, and Future Symposium
organized by: Faculty of Sculpture and Art Mediation
Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław, Palace in Morawa

Kafka's Sisters
an exhibition accompanying the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the deportation of Western Jews to the Litzmannstadt Ghetto
organized by: Dialogue Center, Wozownia near Biederman Palace, Łódź

Anastomosis, Festival Interphoto, Białystok

The Distance Lacuna Festivals, online / Canary Islands

Human Animal Umelcov Spisa Gallery, Spišská Nová Ves, Slovakia

WOMEN'S BEACH – Frakcja on a Trip, Frakcja group: exhibition as part of an artistic residency, Center for Creative Activity in Ustka / Baltic Gallery of Contemporary Art in Słupsk

The Dodgy End Photofestival, accompanying exhibition of the Frakacja group, Łódź

66 days, exhibition of the Frakcja group of artists
Municipal Art Gallery in Łódź

Re-connect artPrague Biennale Project, Prague, Czech Republic

2020

Non-Sculpture. Changwon Biennale, Changwon, South Korea

Fluss, Fem.art, Schloss Wolkersdorf, Galerie 2, Wolkersdorf, Austria

66 Days, exhibition by the Frakcja group of artists
Municipal Art Gallery in Łódź

Re-connect artPrague Biennale Project, Prague, Czech Republic

Abgefahren, German-Polish online project in collaboration of the Frakcja and Endmoräne women artists groups, Abgefahren.blog

Re-animacje, (Re-animations), the festival of short video-art works, online project, Galeria XX1 fb funpage

Próba 2020, (The Test 2020), with the Frakcja group, Jan Tarasin Art Gallery, Kalisz

Strajk Kobiet, (Women's Strike), Galeria Labirynt, Lublin

2019

WOW! Signal Festival, Kramladen, Vienna

AGREGATORIUM of Time, Spaces and Action., Palace in Lubostron

Plexus, Galeria Imaginarium, Łódź

Frakcja / Akcja / Libacja, Pogotowie Teatralno-Filmowe, Lodz

2018

Found a Mentalism, Spazju Kreattiv, Saint James Cavalier, La Valetta / European Capital of Culture, Malta

Art and Technology, Tashkent Biennale, Uzbekistan

Descriptions of Absence, IAa Exhibition Hall, Jeju, South Korea

REBELLE / the exhibition of Frakcja group, S Gallery, Toruń

Łącze (Link, Connection), art event by FRAKCJA, Lodz Fabryczna Railway Station, Lodz

Gniazdo / The Nest, Aula Gallery, The Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk

Just one day. Manifesto of Presence performance show of FRAKCJA group, Dom Mody Limanka, Lodz

Art & Documentation Association - 7th Membership Show, Wschodnia Gallery, Lodz

2017

re_form OSTRALE BIENNALE, Dresden, Germany

Art in Art, MOCAK Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow

Take a lipstick, performance session: The neurophysiology of an artist in performance; an experiment by FUNom (Art & Science Fundation om - organisms and machines in culture), Wozownia Gallery, Torun

Bad Women, ZAMEK Culture Centre, Poznan

The women who stays in Lodz. Manifesto of Presence, the exhibition of FRAKCJA group, Manhattan Transfer Gallery, Lodz

2016

Artists-in-Residence exhibition, KulturKontakt in cooperation Federal Chancellery of Austria, Concordiaplatz 2, Vienna

Transcultural Emancipation, Fluc, Vienna

Art & Documentation Association - 6th Membership Show, Wschodnia Gallery, Lodz


2015

What do I have from a woman?, Visual Culture Research Center, Kijów, Ukraina

Contact Points, the exhibition of doctoral candidates, The Baltic Sea Cultural Centre in Gdańsk /Saint John Centre/

Unpack the suitcases / Koffer auspacken, Fabryka Koelmann Höfe, Frankfurt Oder, Germany

Festiwal Present Performance, Gdańsk Brzeźno, organizator: Gdansk City Gallery

Spring Art Salon 'Plug-in' Arsenal Gallery, Poznan

Art & Documentation Association - 5th Membership Show, Wschodnia Gallery, Lodz

2014

Dzieci z Fabryki / Reborn Babies, Play Poland Film Festival, Meow photography studios, Edinburgh, Scotland

We+Our+Us, Bupyeong Arts Center, Incheon / Tongyeong Citizen's Centre, Tongyeong, South Korea

Grodzka 5, Warsztaty Kultury, Lublin

Getto XXI, the exhibition accompanying the Commemoration of the liquidation of the Litzmannstadt Getto, Monopolis, Lodz

Collage Stary Browar, Słodownia / Ptapty, Teatr Polski, Poznań

Art & Documentation Association - 4th Membership Show, Wschodnia Gallery, Lodz


2013

Live Galleries,Wschodnia Gallery, Exchange Gallery. Lodz Networks since 1978. Maerz Kunstlervereinigung, Linz, Austria

No Women No Art Festival, Poznań. Suspecta project in urban space of Wilda District

Bringing Up, Wschodnia Gallery, curator: Andrzej Rozycki, 12 International Festival of Photography, Lodz, accompanying exhibition

Name of the Father? Name of the Mother! the exhibition of Korean and Polish artists, Domek Ogrodnika (Gardener's House), Park Zrodliska, Łódź

Art & Documentation Association - 3rd Membership Show, Wschodnia Gallery, Lodz


2012

PAN ASIA, Performance Art Festival, Seoul, Korea


Outside in Inside out, Contemporary Art Museum, Wroclaw (the exhibition after Silesia Art Biennale)

STILL ON 35 years of ON Gallery,University of Fine Arts in Poznan

Ja Lodzermensch, Galeria Manhattan, Lodz


SMOG Festival, ART TRANZYT, Jaworzno

Transart Communication, Performance Art Festival, Bratislava, Slovak Republic

Silesia Art Biennale, towns: Jelenia Gora, Walbrzych, Bystrzyca Klodzka, Legnica

Ephemeral Fixed. Ephemeral Art in Visegrad Countries. Wschodnia Gallery, Lodz

Save as Art Recent Art Gallery (Galeria Sztuki Najnowszej) Gorzow Wielkopolski

Art & Documentation Association - 2nd Membership Show, Wschodnia Gallery, Lodz


2011

Registrations, Representations First Exhibition Members of The Art & Documentation Association

Save as Art, Imaginarium Gallery, /3rd Art and Documentation Festival / Lodz

11th Artists' Meetings, The house of Lilith an installation on an abandoned house, Pszczyna

Contexts Festival White Plague an installation on an abandoned house, Sokolowsko

2010

Metasurvival. The producers of contexts who face changes, Spiz Gallery, Gdansk

International Artists Workshops, R.I.V.E.R. , Rosora, Provincia Ancona, Italy

11th Exhibition of Unique Tapestry, International Triennial of Tapestry, Central Museum of Textiles in Lodz

Female artists to the artists, CSW Laznia, Gdansk

Supermarket 2010 - the international artist-run art fair in Stockholm (as a part of the Wschodnia Gallery presentation from Lodz)

2009

Passing Through (Ann Noel & Ryszard Wasko and The International Artists' Museum Community), KunstPunkt Gallery, Berlin

Art after hours, CSW Laznia, Gdansk

Enter/Escape. How does painting shape new spaces? Inspirations Festival, Pomeranian Dukes' Castle, Szczecin

28 days, CSW Laznia, Gdansk

CUUD Inauguration, An opening of Kuba Bielawski's Gallery "CUUD", Gdynia

2008

Disenchantment - work in progress, BWA Awangarda Gallery, Wroclaw

Sexhibition, Artist Studios Lubelska, Warsaw

Tarnogórska FEMINA, TCK, Tarnowskie Góry

EgoJego, Klub eNeRDe, organizer: Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun

Art arising, Mazovian Contemporary Art Center "Elektrownia", Radom

Prints for Peace, Galeria Lepoldo Carpinteyro de Relaciones Culturales, Monterrey, Mexico

2007

From Warsaw to Lodz, Manhattan Gallery, Lodz

Homeless Gallery, Tolerance - Intolerance, Patio Art Center, Lodz

Visual education jubilee exhibition of the graduates of the Visual Education Department of the Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz, on the occasion of 20th anniversary of the Department, Museum of the City of Lodz.

About ourselves, Center for Art Propaganda, Lodz

Strike Festival, Artists Colony, PGR ART, Gdansk Shipyard

Disenchantment , project in the city space, BWA Gallery, Zielona Góra

Youth Art Festival Draft, Pomerania Dukes' Castle, Szczecin

2006

Youth Art Fair, project Birds' Radio, Torun

II Artists Meetings ASPECTS Generation Porno, BED ART audiovisual project /Untitled Group/, Youth Promotion Gallery, BOK, Lodz

Binary city, Lodz - Warsaw, multimedia work, Trans-warsaw Lodz, Manhattan Gallery, Lodz / XX1 Gallery, Mazovia Culture Center, Warsaw

2005

Class of 2004, exhibition of the best final exhibitions of the graduates of the Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz, Central Museum of Textiles, Lodz.

International Film Festival, Offensiva, Wroclaw

Act-Reactivation, an exhibition of the works of the graduates of the Painting and Drawing Studio of Wlodzimierz Stelmaszczyk, Forum Gallery, Culture House Forum, Lodz.

Who(se) gender is it? As part of the "Progressteron" Festival, Upper Silesia Culture Center, Katowice

Hipermarket, Youth Promotion Gallery, BOK, Lodz


Awards / distinctions

2025

The Award of the Mayor of Gdańsk in the Field of Culture

2019

OeAD Scholarship, Vienna, Austria

2016

Artist-in-Residence, KulturKontakt, Wien, Austria

Grant of the city of Gdańsk /Stypendium Kulturalne Miasta Gdańska/

2015

Grant of the Mayor of the City of Lodz for artists and cultural educators

2011

Grant of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage

2004

MA with Honors at the Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz

2002

Sholarship at the Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart